I overheard a client talking on the phone to a friend. I was shocked to hear “She is so expensive but she gave me a deal, she would probably charge you $90.00 or so.” I realized that she was trying to give me a good recommendation but she had no clue what she was pricing because she didnt know what was involved in quoting prices. I realized that since mobile grooming was a relatively new concept to this part of the country, I should explain the difference in cost between me (a premium (ALL INCLUSIVE) mobile service) and a traditional grooming salon. First consider that I quote a complete groom and do not charge extra for nails, specialty cuts or bandannas and bows, gland expression and such. I have seen quoted grooms almost double in price when you add in all the à la carte services. Mobile dog and cat grooming is typically more expensive than the traditional salon groom. (The national average is $30-$40 more.) There are a lot of really good reasons for this extra cost. The most obvious is that its a luxury service. The groom is conducted in a customized mobile unit parked at your home giving your pet a relaxed comfortable experience. Most of the time it doesnt disrupt your day, you don’t even need to be home while I am there. Most of my clients have agreed to allow me access and I call or text when I get there and when I leave and turn on alarms and lock doors. I provide a convenient, specialized service at your home or office bringing all the benefits of a full service salon to you. This not only saves you the time and expense of having to transport your dog back and forth but also benefits your pet. The dogs in my care receive individual attention in a quiet, comfortable, climate controlled setting and are groomed straight through without getting put into a kennel. This provides less stress for you and your dawg... No carsickness, no exposure to multiple dogs, diseases, or parasites, no cage drying or crating, and no distractions.... all of which result in less stress and anxiety for your dog or cat... I think most people know these reasons, but something not everyone may consider is quantity. It is impossible for me to groom as many dogs in a day as a salon would because the grooming is conducted totally different between the two. While a salon thrives on volume I pride myself on quality. A salon typically operates with multiple stations… one person greets and crates the dogs, one takes the dogs to wash and returns them to a crate to dry, another brushes and yet another does the actual grooming. No one is responsible to take a dog out to relieve itself on a regular basis. The national average dogs per day for a mobile groomer are 6-8 dogs (I only groom 5 or 6), while the average for a salon is 24+ per groomer per day. I dont have bathers, multiple groomers or receptionists and I cant assembly line my grooms. What this means is that your pet spends every moment with me while they are being groomed and we even get to play a little while waiting on some products to take effect. I also get exclusive use of the grooming tub. This alone allows me the ability to spend extra time and even extra steps in the grooming process that are just not done in salons because they are trying to get all those dogs in and out of limited tubs. While some expenses are comparable between salons and mobile groomers, blades and scissors and sharpening are expensive for quality items (several of my scissors retail over $400 - 1500.00 each) cleaners to keep my work station and tools cleaned and sterilized. Each also has liability, capital (building or vehicle) insurance, utilities (gasoline, propane and rent (or vehicle payments and maintenance. Grooming vans typically retail from $80,000 to over $100,000 while a salon is typically less expensive especially on a per groomer basis. Then there is product. I use only the best product on the market. Personally, I LOVE being mobile. I know it isnt for everyone. Solitude is fine (I have the dawgz!). It would be fun to decorate a beautiful salon, and it would be nice to have more room to move around! But, I have more than enough room to get the job done and done well. I have a comparably small client list and I get to know each and every one personally. I make it a point to ensure your baby’s grooming experience is a positive one. This is my passion and my hobby and lastly my business. I have said it many times…I feel truly blessed to do what I do each and every day. I make a point to really get to know the Dawgz and Katz which is so important, in fact MOST important!) For me, there were so many reasons I choose to offer a mobile service but most importantly are when I get to see the happy customers and their owners when I am finished
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 04:53:30 +0000
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